Telescopic member, cylindrical body and molded body

Abstract

The invention provides a telescopic member having an inner cylinder slidably fitted into an outer cylinder in the axial direction and a lock mechanism, placed between the cylinders, for holding relative movements therebetween. A holder is secured to the outer cylinder and allows its inner circumferential surface to slide on the outer circumferential surface of the inner cylinder so that a frictional force is applied to the relative movements between the cylinders. The holder has a braking chamber on the side facing the inner cylinder to contain a friction body that rolls on the circumferential surface of the inner cylinder. The braking chamber has a taper surface so as to have a space that becomes narrower in the push-in direction of the inner cylinder, and first and second moving end surfaces that are separated with a predetermined distance in the push-in direction so as to intersect the taper surface, and is formed into a reversed trapezoidal shape in its cross-section viewed at one side. Therefore, it is possible to provide a stable frictional force against the movement of the inner cylinder in the push-in direction.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A telescopic member, comprising: 
       an outer cylinder;  
       an inner cylinder slidably fitted into the outer cylinder in the axial direction;  
       a lock mechanism, placed between the outer cylinder and inner cylinder, for locking relative movements therebetween;  
       a braking chamber provided in either one of the outer cylinder or inner cylinder opposing to the other, the braking chamber having a taper surface providing a space that becomes narrower toward the relative sliding direction of the other cylinder; and  
       a friction body, placed in the braking chamber, and which, when the other cylinder is relatively slidden, is allowed to move in the relative sliding direction with respect to the one cylinder, so that it is fitted between the taper surface and the other cylinder so as to apply a braking force to the relative movements between the cylinders,  
       wherein the braking chamber is formed so that, when the friction body reaches a moving end in the relative sliding direction inside the braking chamber, it is allowed to roll between the taper surface and the other cylinder.  
     
     
       2. The telescopic member according to claim  1 , wherein the braking chamber has two moving end surfaces at both of the moving ends of the friction body that are oriented in a direction intersecting the circumferential surface of the other cylinder, and is formed by at least the two moving end surfaces, the taper surface, and the circumferential surface of the other cylinder. 
     
     
       3. The telescopic member according to claim  2 , wherein the friction body is an O-ring. 
     
     
       4. The telescopic member according to claim  2 , wherein the friction body has a ring shape, and at least a portion of its cross-section intersecting an axis along the circumferential direction of the ring shape is formed into a portion of circular shape. 
     
     
       5. The telescopic member according to claim  2 , wherein each of the outer cylinder and inner cylinder has an oval cross-section with opposing linear portions lying along its major-axis direction, and they are fitted with their major-axes coincident with each other, and a pair of the braking chambers and the friction bodies are placed at the opposing linear portions. 
     
     
       6. The telescopic member according to claim  1 , wherein the friction body is an O-ring. 
     
     
       7. The telescopic member according to claim  1 , wherein the friction body has a ring shape, and at least a portion of its cross-section intersecting an axis along the circumferential direction of the ring shape is formed into a portion of circular shape. 
     
     
       8. The telescopic member according to claim  1 , wherein each of the outer cylinder and inner cylinder has an oval cross-section with opposing linear portions lying along its major-axis direction, and they are fitted with their major-axes coincident with each other, and a pair of the braking chambers and the friction bodies are placed at the opposing linear portions. 
     
     
       9. The telescopic member according to claim  5 , wherein the friction body has a column shape. 
     
     
       10. A telescopic member, comprising: 
       an outer cylinder;  
       an inner cylinder slidably fitted into the outer cylinder in the axial direction;  
       a lock mechanism, placed between the outer cylinder and inner cylinder, for locking relative movements therebetween; and  
       a cylindrical body that is secured to either one of the outer cylinder or inner cylinder, and that allows its inner circumferential surface or outer circumferential surface to slide on the circumferential surface of the other cylinder so that a braking force is applied to the relative movements of the outer cylinder and inner cylinder,  
       wherein the cylindrical body is provided with a recess portion that faces the circumferential surface of the other cylinder and that holds a molded body so as to allow it to roll on the circumferential surface of the other cylinder, and  
       the recess portion is provided with at least a taper surface that narrows a space toward the relative sliding direction of the other cylinder, and two surfaces that are spaced with a predetermined distance in the relative sliding direction and formed so as to intersect the taper surface.  
     
     
       11. The telescopic member according to claim  10 , wherein the cylindrical body is provided with one portion having one of the two surfaces and the other portion having the other surface as separate portions. 
     
     
       12. The telescopic member according to claim  11 , wherein one of the two surfaces on the side of a larger space is formed to be tapered so that it is gradually separated from the other surface on the side of a smaller space as it proceeds in the separating direction from the circumferential surface of the other cylinder. 
     
     
       13. The telescopic member according to claim  11 , wherein the molded body is an O-ring. 
     
     
       14. The telescopic member according to claim  11 , wherein the molded body has a ring shape, and at least a portion of its cross-section intersecting an axis along the circumferential direction of the ring shape is formed into a portion of circular shape. 
     
     
       15. The telescopic member according to claim  11 , wherein the molded body is formed by connecting a plurality of ball-shaped bodies or roller-shaped bodies, and a braking force is applied to the relative movements of the outer cylinder and inner cylinder by allowing these bodies to roll on the circumferential surface of the other cylinder. 
     
     
       16. The telescopic member according to claim  15 , wherein the molded body is made of urethane resin. 
     
     
       17. The telescopic member according to claim  16 , wherein the molded body has a pillar shape. 
     
     
       18. The telescopic member according to claim  17 , wherein each of the outer cylinder and inner cylinder has an oval cross-section with opposing linear portions lying along its major-axis direction, and they are fitted with their major-axes coincident with each other, and a pair of the braking chambers and the friction bodies are placed at the opposing linear portions. 
     
     
       19. The telescopic member according to claim  16 , wherein the molded body has a ring shape. 
     
     
       20. The telescopic member according to claim  15 , wherein the molded body has a ring shape. 
     
     
       21. The telescopic member according to claim  15 , wherein the molded body has a pillar shape. 
     
     
       22. The telescopic member according to claim  10 , wherein one of the two surfaces on the side of a larger space is formed to be tapered so that it is gradually separated from the other surface on the side of a smaller space as it proceeds in the separating direction from the circumferential surface of the other cylinder. 
     
     
       23. The telescopic member according to claim  22 , wherein the molded body is an O-ring. 
     
     
       24. The telescopic member according to claim  22 , wherein the molded body has a ring shape, and at least a portion of its cross-section intersecting an axis along the circumferential direction of the ring shape is formed into a portion of circular shape. 
     
     
       25. The telescopic member according to claim  22 , wherein the molded body is formed by connecting a plurality of ball-shaped bodies or roller-shaped bodies, and a braking force is applied to the relative movements of the outer cylinder and inner cylinder by allowing these bodies to roll on the circumferential surface of the other cylinder. 
     
     
       26. The telescopic member according to claim  25 , wherein the molded body has a ring shape. 
     
     
       27. The telescopic member according to claim  25 , wherein the molded body has a pillar shape. 
     
     
       28. The telescopic member according to claim  25 , wherein the molded body is made of urethane resin. 
     
     
       29. The telescopic member according to claim  28 , wherein the molded body has a ring shape. 
     
     
       30. The telescopic member according to claim  28 , wherein the molded body has a pillar shape. 
     
     
       31. The telescopic member according to claim  30 , wherein each of the outer cylinder and inner cylinder has an oval cross-section with opposing linear portions lying along its major-axis direction, and they are fitted with their major-axes coincident with each other, and a pair of the braking chambers and the friction bodies are placed at the opposing linear portions. 
     
     
       32. The telescopic member according to claim  10 , wherein the molded body is an O-ring. 
     
     
       33. The telescopic member according to claim  10 , wherein the molded body has a ring shape, and at least a portion of its cross-section intersecting an axis along the circumferential direction of the ring shape is formed into a portion of circular shape. 
     
     
       34. The telescopic member according to claim  10 , wherein the molded body is formed by connecting a plurality of ball-shaped bodies or roller-shaped bodies, and a braking force is applied to the relative movements of the outer cylinder and inner cylinder by allowing these bodies to roll on the circumferential surface of the other cylinder. 
     
     
       35. The telescopic member according to claim  34 , wherein the molded body is made of urethane resin. 
     
     
       36. The telescopic member according to claim  35 , wherein the molded body has a ring shape. 
     
     
       37. The telescopic member according to claim  35 , wherein the molded body has a pillar shape. 
     
     
       38. The telescopic member according to claim  37 , wherein each of the outer cylinder and inner cylinder has an oval cross-section with opposing linear portions lying along its major-axis direction, and they are fitted with their major-axes coincident with each other, and a pair of the braking chambers and the friction bodies are placed at the opposing linear portions. 
     
     
       39. The telescopic member according to claim  34 , wherein the molded body has a ring shape. 
     
     
       40. The telescopic member according to claim  34 , wherein the molded body has a pillar shape. 
     
     
       41. A telescopic member comprising: 
       an outer cylinder;  
       an inner cylinder slidably fitted into the outer cylinder in the axial direction;  
       a lock mechanism, placed between the outer cylinder and inner cylinder, for locking relative movements therebetween;  
       a braking chamber provided in either one of the outer cylinder or inner cylinder opposing to the other, the braking chamber having a taper surface providing a space that becomes narrower toward the relative sliding direction of the other cylinder; and  
       a friction body, placed in the braking chamber, and which, when the other cylinder is relatively slidden, is allowed to move in the relative sliding direction with respect to the one cylinder, so that it is fitted between the taper surface and the other cylinder so as to apply a braking force to the relative movements between the cylinders, wherein the friction body has such a shape that it allows to fill a portion of the braking chamber when it is located at a predetermined position in the relative sliding direction.  
     
     
       42. The telescopic member according to claim  41 , wherein the friction body is a ring-shaped elastic member having a notch at a position in the circumferential direction of the ring shape, and is elastically deformed so as to allow both ends of the notch to contact each other so that its inner diameter or outer diameter is adjusted. 
     
     
       43. The telescopic member according to claim  42 , wherein the braking chamber is formed so that, when the friction body is located at the moving end on the side opposite to the slidably, it is separated from the circumferential surface of the other cylinder. 
     
     
       44. The telescopic member according to claim  41 , wherein the braking chamber is formed so that, when the friction body is located at the moving end on the side opposite to the slidably, it is separated from the circumferential surface of the other cylinder. 
     
     
       45. A telescopic member comprising: 
       an outer cylinder;  
       an inner cylinder slidably fitted into the outer cylinder in the axial direction;  
       a pillar-shaped body installed in either one of the outer cylinder or inner cylinder with its longitudinal direction being coincident with the axial direction, the pillar-shaped body having a plurality of engaging portions placed along the axial direction;  
       a stopper portion, installed in the other cylinder, for stopping the respective engaging portion so as to hold the relative movements between the outer cylinder and inner cylinder; and  
       a holding body, provided to the other cylinder so as to penetrate the circumferential wall of the other cylinder, for slidably holding the pillar-shaped body in the axial direction as well as for holding the pillar-shaped body so as not to move in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the pillar-shaped body.  
     
     
       46. The telescopic member according to claim  45 , wherein the holding body includes a spacer portion that is installed between the outer cylinder and inner cylinder so as to maintain a distance between the cylinders. 
     
     
       47. The telescopic member according to claim  46 , wherein the holding body is designed to be two-legged its portion protruding inside the other cylinder so that the pillar-shaped body is held between the legged portions. 
     
     
       48. The telescopic member according to claim  46 , wherein the holding body is made of synthetic resin. 
     
     
       49. The telescopic member according to claim  46 , further comprising: 
       a holding member, installed in the one cylinder at the circumferential surface facing the other cylinder along the axial direction, for slidably supporting the holding body in the axial direction, and for holding the holding body from moving in a direction intersecting the axial direction.  
     
     
       50. The telescopic member according to claim  45 , wherein the holding body is designed to be two-legged its portion protruding inside the other cylinder so that the pillar-shaped body is held between the legged portions. 
     
     
       51. The telescopic member according to claim  50 , wherein the holding body is made of synthetic resin. 
     
     
       52. The telescopic member according to claim  50 , further comprising: 
       a holding member, installed in the one cylinder at the circumferential surface facing the other cylinder along the axial direction, for slidably supporting the holding body in the axial direction, and for holding the holding body from moving in a direction intersecting the axial direction.  
     
     
       53. The telescopic member according to claim  45 , wherein the holding body is made of synthetic resin. 
     
     
       54. The telescopic member according to claim  53 , further comprising: 
       a holding member, installed in the one cylinder at the circumferential surface facing the other cylinder along the axial direction, for slidably supporting the holding body in the axial direction, and for holding the holding body from moving in a direction intersecting the axial direction.  
     
     
       55. The telescopic member according to claim  45 , further comprising: 
       a holding member, installed in the one cylinder at the circumferential surface facing the other cylinder along the axial direction, for slidably supporting the holding body in the axial direction, and for holding the holding body from moving in a direction intersecting the axial direction.  
     
     
       56. A telescopic member comprising: 
       an outer cylinder;  
       an inner cylinder slidably fitted into the outer cylinder in the axial direction;  
       a pillar-shaped body installed in either one of the outer cylinder or inner cylinder with its longitudinal direction being coincident with the axial direction, the pillar-shaped body having a plurality of engaging portions placed along the axial direction;  
       a stopper portion, installed in the other cylinder, for stopping the respective engaging portion so as to hold the relative movements between the outer cylinder and inner cylinder; and  
       a protruding portion, protruded on the respective opposing surface of at least either one of the outer cylinder or inner cylinder, for slidably engaging the other cylinder so as to hold the other cylinder in the axial direction and also so as to hold the other cylinder from moving in a direction intersecting the axial direction.  
     
     
       57. The telescopic member according to claim  56 , further comprising: a cylindrical cover for covering the outer cylinder. 
     
     
       58. A telescopic member comprising: 
       an outer cylinder;  
       an inner cylinder slidably fitted into the outer cylinder in the axial direction;  
       a pillar-shaped body installed in either one of the outer cylinder or inner cylinder with its longitudinal direction being coincident with the axial direction, the pillar-shaped body having a plurality of engaging portions placed along the axial direction;  
       a stopper portion, installed in the other cylinder, for stopping the respective engaging portion so as to hold the relative movements between the outer cylinder and inner cylinder; and  
       a rotary base, interpolated between the one cylinder and the pillar-shaped body, for allowing the relative rotations therebetween on the axis.  
     
     
       59. A cylindrical body, secured to either one of a hole or a pillar body that is fitted into the hole in the axial direction so as to relatively move freely therein and which applies a braking force to the relative movements of the hole and pillar body by allowing its inner circumferential surface or outer circumferential surface to slide on the circumferential surface of the other, comprising: 
       a recess portion, which faces the circumferential surface of the other and which holds a molded body so as to allow it to roll on the circumferential surface of the other,  
       wherein the recess portion being provided with at least a taper surface that narrows a space toward the relative sliding direction of the other and two surfaces that are spaced with a predetermined distance in the relative sliding direction and formed so as to intersect the taper surface.  
     
     
       60. The cylindrical body according to claim  59 , wherein the cylindrical body is provided with one portion having one of the two surfaces and the other portion having the other surface as separate portions. 
     
     
       61. The cylindrical body according to claim  60 , wherein one of the two surfaces on the side of a larger space is formed to be tapered so that it is gradually separated from the other surface on the side of a smaller space as it proceeds in the separating direction from the circumferential surface of the other cylinder. 
     
     
       62. The cylindrical body according to claim  59 , wherein one of the two surfaces on the side of a larger space is formed to be tapered so that it is gradually separated from the other surface on the side of a smaller space as it proceeds in the separating direction from the circumferential surface of the other cylinder. 
     
     
       63. A molded body, interpolated between a hole and a pillar body to be fitted into the hole in the axial direction so as to relatively move freely therein, for applying a braking force to the relative movements of the hole and pillar body, 
       wherein the molded body is made by connecting a plurality of ball-shaped bodies or roller-shaped bodies.  
     
     
       64. The molded body according to claim  63 , wherein the molded body has a ring-shape connected structure. 
     
     
       65. The molded body according to claim  64 , wherein the molded body is made of urethane resin. 
     
     
       66. The molded body according to claim  63 , wherein the molded body has a pillar shape. 
     
     
       67. The molded body according to claim  63 , wherein the molded body is made of urethane resin. 
     
     
       68. The molded body according to claim  65 , wherein the molded body is made of urethane resin.